(Oregon Coast) – Last week was an exceptionally busy one for Oregon officials as numerous objects made landfall on the beaches, some of which are presumed tsunami debris and of rather intense cultural significance. (Photos courtesy OPRD)

A group of locals in Oceanside, Oregon discovered a large chunk of painted wood on Friday, about 7:30 a.m. This time, it wasn't a small vessel but apparently part of a Japanese temple gate.

The 16' long object is made of heavy wood and has been painted red, though it is now partially covered with marine organisms. Its shape resembles the top, horizontal part of a type of free-standing arch found in Japan called a torii. A torii is used to mark the entrance of a sacred site.

The object is being stored in a secured state park maintenance yard, waiting on word from the Consular Office of Japan in Portland for advice on next steps.

Oceanside resident Judson Randall found that object, and a friend of Randall's from Pacific City found some beams in the Pacific City area (one at McPhillips Beach and another at Tierra Del Mar), which at first seemed possibly connected.

Pacific City's Larry Rouse said the beams were about six feet by four inches thick, with ends that apparently locked into other structures. These had a fair amount of growth but no barnacles on it (pictured above).

Oregon State Parks and Recreation spokesman Chris Havel said these are definitely not connected to the torri find, however. More on that story.

Also on Friday, a 23-foot boat was found in Cannon Beach, which had Japanese writing on it. More on that story.

The report from local police indicates it “appeared to be a derelict vessel that had been in the ocean for an extended period of time.” Cannon Beach Police reports it had significant layers of marine life, but the department was unable to say what OPRD and the Coast Guard found.

Also on Friday, Washington officials responded to a vessel with Japanese writing on it in Long Beach, Washington. Biologists took many samples of sea life from that boat, which included large mussels, gooseneck barnacles and at least one sea sponge. Four fish were found in a deeper part of the boat. More on that story.